Cutibacterium acnes Biofilm Study during Bone Cells Interaction

Cutibacterium acnes is an opportunistic pathogen involved in Bone and Prosthesis Infections (BPIs). In this study, we observed the behavior of commensal and BPI C. acnes strains in the bone environment through bacterial internalization by osteoblast-like cells and biofilm formation. For the commensal strains, less than 1% of the bacteria were internalized; among them, about 32.7 ± 3.9% persisted intracellularly for up to 48 h. C. acnes infection seems to have no cytotoxic effect on bone cells as detected by LDH assay. Interestingly, commensal C. acnes showed a significant increase in biofilm formation after osteoblast-like internalization for 50% of the strains (2.8-fold increase). This phenomenon is exacerbated on a titanium support, a material used for medical devices. For the BPI clinical strains, we did not notice any increase in biofilm formation after internalization despite a similar internalization rate by the osteoblast-like cells. Furthermore, fluorescent staining revealed more live bacteria within the biofilm after osteoblast-like cell interaction, for all strains (BPIs and commensal). The genomic study did not reveal any link between their clinical origin and phylotype. In conclusion, we have shown for the first time the possible influence of internalization by osteoblast-like cells on commensal C. acnes.

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Cutibacterium acnes as an Opportunistic Pathogen: An Update of Its Virulence-Associated Factors

Microorganisms ◽

10.3390/microorganisms9020303 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 303 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Constance Mayslich ◽

Philippe Alain Grange ◽

Nicolas Dupin

Keyword(s):

Virulence Factors ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Opportunistic Pathogen ◽

Bacterial Attachment ◽

Molecular Structures ◽

Ecological Niches ◽

Target Cells ◽

Skin Microbiota ◽

Host Immune Responses ◽

Cutibacterium Acnes

Cutibacterium acnes is a member of the skin microbiota found predominantly in regions rich in sebaceous glands. It is involved in maintaining healthy skin and has long been considered a commensal bacterium. Its involvement in various infections has led to its emergence as an opportunist pathogen. Interactions between C. acnes and the human host, including the human skin microbiota, promote the selection of C. acnes strains capable of producing several virulence factors that increase inflammatory capability. This pathogenic property may be related to many infectious mechanisms, such as an ability to form biofilms and the expression of putative virulence factors capable of triggering host immune responses or enabling C. acnes to adapt to its environment. During the past decade, many studies have identified and characterized several putative virulence factors potentially involved in the pathogenicity of this bacterium. These virulence factors are involved in bacterial attachment to target cells, polysaccharide-based biofilm synthesis, molecular structures mediating inflammation, and the enzymatic degradation of host tissues. C. acnes, like other skin-associated bacteria, can colonize various ecological niches other than skin. It produces several proteins or glycoproteins that could be considered to be active virulence factors, enabling the bacterium to adapt to the lipophilic environment of the pilosebaceous unit of the skin, but also to the various organs it colonizes. In this review, we summarize current knowledge concerning characterized C. acnes virulence factors and their possible implication in the pathogenicity of C. acnes.

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Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of immunocompromised patients infected with Pneumocystis jirovecii in a twelve-year retrospective study from Norway

BMC Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1186/s12879-021-06144-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Stine Grønseth ◽

Tormod Rogne ◽

Raisa Hannula ◽

Bjørn Olav Åsvold ◽

Jan Egil Afset ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Retrospective Study ◽

Fold Increase ◽

Epidemiological Data ◽

Opportunistic Pathogen ◽

Incidence Rates ◽

Clinical Findings ◽

Pneumocystis Jirovecii ◽

Common Denominator ◽

Study Population ◽

Cardinal Symptoms

Abstract Background Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) severely menaces modern chemotherapy and immunosuppression. Detailed description of the epidemiology of Pneumocystis jirovecii today is needed to identify candidates for PCP-prophylaxis. Methods We performed a 12-year retrospective study of patients with P. jirovecii detected by polymerase chain reaction in Central Norway. In total, 297 patients were included. Comprehensive biological, clinical and epidemiological data were abstracted from patients’ medical records. Regional incidence rates and testing trends were also assessed. Results From 2007 to 2017 we found a 3.3-fold increase in testing for P. jirovecii accompanied by a 1.8-fold increase in positive results. Simultaneously, regional incidence rates doubled from 5.0 cases per 100,000 person years to 10.8. A majority of the study population had predisposing conditions other than human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Hematological (36.0%) and solid cancers (25.3%) dominated. Preceding corticosteroids were a common denominator for 72.1%. Most patients (74.4%) presented with at least two cardinal symptoms; cough, dyspnea or fever. Main clinical findings were hypoxia, cytopenias and radiological features consistent with PCP. A total of 88 (29.6%) patients required intensive care and 121 (40.7%) suffered at least one complication. In-hospital mortality was 21.5%. Three patients (1.0%) had received prophylaxis. Conclusions P. jirovecii is re-emerging; likely due to increasing immunosuppressants use. This opportunistic pathogen threatens the life of heterogenous non-HIV immunosuppressed populations currently at growth. Corticosteroids seem to be a major risk factor. A strategy to increase prophylaxis is called for.

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Pro-Inflammatory and Neurotrophic Factor Responses of Cells Derived from Degenerative Human Intervertebral Discs to the Opportunistic Pathogen Cutibacterium acnes

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms22052347 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (5) ◽

pp. 2347

Author(s):

Manu N. Capoor ◽

Anna Konieczna ◽

Andrew McDowell ◽

Filip Ruzicka ◽

Martin Smrcka ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Neurotrophic Factor ◽

Acne Vulgaris ◽

Opportunistic Pathogen ◽

Intervertebral Discs ◽

Disc Disease ◽

Gene Target ◽

Cutibacterium Acnes ◽

Pre Treatment

Previously, we proposed the hypothesis that similarities in the inflammatory response observed in acne vulgaris and degenerative disc disease (DDD), especially the central role of interleukin (IL)-1β, may be further evidence of the role of the anaerobic bacterium Cutibacterium (previously Propionibacterium) acnes in the underlying aetiology of disc degeneration. To investigate this, we examined the upregulation of IL-1β, and other known IL-1β-induced inflammatory markers and neurotrophic factors, from nucleus-pulposus-derived disc cells infected in vitro with C. acnes for up to 48 h. Upon infection, significant upregulation of IL-1β, alongside IL-6, IL-8, chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 3 (CCL3), chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 4 (CCL4), nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), was observed with cells isolated from the degenerative discs of eight patients versus non-infected controls. Expression levels did, however, depend on gene target, multiplicity and period of infection and, notably, donor response. Pre-treatment of cells with clindamycin prior to infection significantly reduced the production of pro-inflammatory mediators. This study confirms that C. acnes can stimulate the expression of IL-1β and other host molecules previously associated with pathological changes in disc tissue, including neo-innervation. While still controversial, the role of C. acnes in DDD remains biologically credible, and its ability to cause disease likely reflects a combination of factors, particularly individualised response to infection.

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atpD gene sequencing, multidrug resistance traits, virulence-determinants, and antimicrobial resistance genes of emerging XDR and MDR-Proteus mirabilis

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-88861-w ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Abdelazeem M. Algammal ◽

Hany R. Hashem ◽

Khyreyah J. Alfifi ◽

Helal F. Hetta ◽

Norhan S. Sheraba ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Antimicrobial Resistance ◽

Resistance Genes ◽

Proteus Mirabilis ◽

Biofilm Formation ◽

Gene Sequencing ◽

Opportunistic Pathogen ◽

Severe Illness ◽

Virulence Determinants ◽

Antimicrobial Resistance Genes ◽

Port Said

AbstractProteus mirabilis is a common opportunistic pathogen causing severe illness in humans and animals. To determine the prevalence, antibiogram, biofilm-formation, screening of virulence, and antimicrobial resistance genes in P. mirabilis isolates from ducks; 240 samples were obtained from apparently healthy and diseased ducks from private farms in Port-Said Province, Egypt. The collected samples were examined bacteriologically, and then the recovered isolates were tested for atpD gene sequencing, antimicrobial susceptibility, biofilm-formation, PCR detection of virulence, and antimicrobial resistance genes. The prevalence of P. mirabilis in the examined samples was 14.6% (35/240). The identification of the recovered isolates was confirmed by the atpD gene sequencing, where the tested isolates shared a common ancestor. Besides, 94.3% of P. mirabilis isolates were biofilm producers. The recovered isolates were resistant to penicillins, sulfonamides, β-Lactam-β-lactamase-inhibitor-combinations, tetracyclines, cephalosporins, macrolides, and quinolones. Using PCR, the retrieved strains harbored atpD, ureC, rsbA, and zapA virulence genes with a prevalence of 100%, 100%, 94.3%, and 91.4%, respectively. Moreover, 31.4% (11/35) of the recovered strains were XDR to 8 antimicrobial classes that harbored blaTEM, blaOXA-1, blaCTX-M, tetA, and sul1 genes. Besides, 22.8% (8/35) of the tested strains were MDR to 3 antimicrobial classes and possessed blaTEM, tetA, and sul1genes. Furthermore, 17.1% (6/35) of the tested strains were MDR to 7 antimicrobial classes and harbored blaTEM, blaOXA-1, blaCTX-M, tetA, and sul1 genes. Alarmingly, three strains were carbapenem-resistant that exhibited PDR to all the tested 10 antimicrobial classes and shared blaTEM, blaOXA-1, blaCTX-M, tetA, and sul1 genes. Of them, two strains harbored the blaNDM-1 gene, and one strain carried the blaKPC gene. In brief, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrating the emergence of XDR and MDR-P.mirabilis in ducks. Norfloxacin exhibited promising antibacterial activity against the recovered XDR and MDR-P. mirabilis. The emergence of PDR, XDR, and MDR-strains constitutes a threat alarm that indicates the complicated treatment of the infections caused by these superbugs.

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Effect of tannic and gallic acids alone or in combination with carbenicillin or tetracycline on Chromobacterium violaceum CV026 growth, motility, and biofilm formation

Canadian Journal of Microbiology ◽

10.1139/cjm-2015-0101 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 61 (7) ◽

pp. 487-494 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Devendra H. Dusane ◽

Che O’May ◽

Nathalie Tufenkji

Keyword(s):

Antibacterial Activity ◽

Gallic Acid ◽

Tannic Acid ◽

Bacterial Growth ◽

Biofilm Formation ◽

Opportunistic Pathogen ◽

Chromobacterium Violaceum ◽

Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations

Chromobacterium violaceum is an opportunistic pathogen that causes infections that are difficult to treat. The goal of this research was to evaluate the effect of selected tannins (tannic acid (TA) and gallic acid (GA)) on bacterial growth, motility, antibiotic (carbenicillin, tetracycline) susceptibility, and biofilm formation. Both tannins, particularly TA, impaired bacterial growth levels and swimming motilities at sub-minimum inhibitory concentrations (sub-MICs). In combination with tannins, antibiotics showed increased MICs, suggesting that tannins interfered with antibacterial activity. Sub-MICs of tetracycline or TA alone enhanced biofilm formation of C. violaceum; however, in combination, these compounds inhibited biofilm formation. In contrast, carbenicillin at sub-MICs was effective in inhibiting C. violaceum biofilm formation; however, in combination with lower concentrations of TA or GA, biofilms were enhanced. These results provide insights into the effects of tannins on C. violaceum growth and their varying interaction with antibiotics used to target C. violaceum infections.

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Autoinducer-2 Triggers the Oxidative Stress Response in Mycobacterium avium, Leading to Biofilm Formation

Applied and Environmental Microbiology ◽

10.1128/aem.02066-07 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 74 (6) ◽

pp. 1798-1804 ◽

Cited By ~ 51

Author(s):

Henriette Geier ◽

Serge Mostowy ◽

Gerard A. Cangelosi ◽

Marcel A. Behr ◽

Timothy E. Ford

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Stress Response ◽

Quorum Sensing ◽

Mycobacterium Avium ◽

Biofilm Formation ◽

Transcriptional Response ◽

Opportunistic Pathogen ◽

Environmental Stresses ◽

Oxidative Stress Response ◽

Autoinducer 2

ABSTRACT Mycobacterium avium is an environmental organism and opportunistic pathogen with inherent resistance to drugs, environmental stresses, and the host immune response. To adapt to these disparate conditions, M. avium must control its transcriptional response to environmental cues. M. avium forms biofilms in various environmental settings, including drinking water pipes and potable water reservoirs. In this study, we investigated the role of the universal signaling molecule autoinducer-2 (AI-2) in biofilm formation by M. avium. The addition of the compound to planktonic M. avium cultures resulted in increased biofilm formation. Microarray and reverse transcriptase PCR studies revealed an upregulation of the oxidative stress response upon addition of AI-2. This suggests that the response to AI-2 might be related to oxidative stress, rather than quorum sensing. Consistent with this model, addition of hydrogen peroxide, a known stimulus of the oxidative stress response, to M. avium cultures resulted in elevated biofilm formation. These results suggest that AI-2 does not act as a quorum-sensing signal in M. avium. Instead, biofilm formation is triggered by environmental stresses of biotic and abiotic origins and AI-2 may exert effects on that level.

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Influence of Glucose Concentrations on Biofilm Formation, Motility, Exoprotease Production, and Quorum Sensing in Aeromonas hydrophila

Journal of Food Protection ◽

10.4315/0362-028x.jfp-12-321 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 76 (2) ◽

pp. 239-247 ◽

Cited By ~ 51

Author(s):

IQBAL KABIR JAHID ◽

NA-YOUNG LEE ◽

ANNA KIM ◽

SANG-DO HA

Keyword(s):

Quorum Sensing ◽

Aeromonas Hydrophila ◽

Biofilm Formation ◽

Opportunistic Pathogen ◽

Homoserine Lactone ◽

Protease Production ◽

Acyl Homoserine Lactone ◽

Human Pathogen ◽

Initial Biofilm ◽

Motility Inhibition

Aeromonas hydrophila recently has received increased attention because it is opportunistic and a primary human pathogen. A. hydrophila biofilm formation and its control are a major concern for food safety because biofilms are related to virulence. Therefore, we investigated biofilm formation, motility inhibition, quorum sensing, and exoprotease production of this opportunistic pathogen in response to various glucose concentrations from 0.05 to 2.5% (wt/vol). More than 0.05% glucose significantly impaired (P < 0.05) quorum sensing, biofilm formation, protease production, and swarming and swimming motility, whereas bacteria treated with 0.05% glucose had activity similar to that of the control (0% glucose). A stage shift biofilm assay revealed that the addition of glucose (2.5%) inhibited initial biofilm formation but not later stages. However, addition of quorum sensing molecules N-3-butanoyl-DL-homoserine lactone and N-3-hexanoyl homoserine lactone partially restored protease production, indicating that quorum sensing is controlled by glucose concentrations. Thus, glucose present in food or added as a preservative could regulate acyl-homoserine lactone quorum sensing molecules, which mediate biofilm formation and virulence in A. hydrophila.

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Lon Protease Has Multifaceted Biological Functions inAcinetobacter baumannii

Journal of Bacteriology ◽

10.1128/jb.00536-18 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 201 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Carly Ching ◽

Brendan Yang ◽

Chineme Onwubueke ◽

David Lazinski ◽

Andrew Camilli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Acinetobacter Baumannii ◽

Biofilm Formation ◽

Developmental Process ◽

Cell Envelope ◽

Opportunistic Pathogen ◽

Lon Protease ◽

Content Type ◽

Hospital Acquired Infections ◽

Biofilm Development ◽

Hospital Acquired

ABSTRACTAcinetobacter baumanniiis a Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen that is known to survive harsh environmental conditions and is a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections. Specifically, multicellular communities (known as biofilms) ofA. baumanniican withstand desiccation and survive on hospital surfaces and equipment. Biofilms are bacteria embedded in a self-produced extracellular matrix composed of proteins, sugars, and/or DNA. Bacteria in a biofilm are protected from environmental stresses, including antibiotics, which provides the bacteria with selective advantage for survival. Although some gene products are known to play roles in this developmental process inA. baumannii, mechanisms and signaling remain mostly unknown. Here, we find that Lon protease inA. baumanniiaffects biofilm development and has other important physiological roles, including motility and the cell envelope. Lon proteases are found in all domains of life, participating in regulatory processes and maintaining cellular homeostasis. These data reveal the importance of Lon protease in influencing keyA. baumanniiprocesses to survive stress and to maintain viability.IMPORTANCEAcinetobacter baumanniiis an opportunistic pathogen and is a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections.A. baumanniiis difficult to eradicate and to manage, because this bacterium is known to robustly survive desiccation and to quickly gain antibiotic resistance. We sought to investigate biofilm formation inA. baumannii, since much remains unknown about biofilm formation in this bacterium. Biofilms, which are multicellular communities of bacteria, are surface attached and difficult to eliminate from hospital equipment and implanted devices. Our research identifies multifaceted physiological roles for the conserved bacterial protease Lon inA. baumannii. These roles include biofilm formation, motility, and viability. This work broadly affects and expands understanding of the biology ofA. baumannii, which will permit us to find effective ways to eliminate the bacterium.

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YdgG (TqsA) Controls Biofilm Formation in Escherichia coli K-12 through Autoinducer 2 Transport

Journal of Bacteriology ◽

10.1128/jb.188.2.587-598.2006 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 188 (2) ◽

pp. 587-598 ◽

Cited By ~ 128

Author(s):

Moshe Herzberg ◽

Ian K. Kaye ◽

Wolfgang Peti ◽

Thomas K. Wood

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Biofilm Formation ◽

Acid Production ◽

Polysialic Acid ◽

Fold Increase ◽

Uncharacterized Protein ◽

Biofilm Thickness ◽

Autoinducer 2 ◽

Membrane Spanning ◽

K 12

ABSTRACT YdgG is an uncharacterized protein that is induced in Escherichia coli biofilms. Here it is shown that deletion of ydgG decreased extracellular and increased intracellular concentrations of autoinducer 2 (AI-2); hence, YdgG enhances transport of AI-2. Consistent with this hypothesis, deletion of ydgG resulted in a 7,000-fold increase in biofilm thickness and 574-fold increase in biomass in flow cells. Also consistent with the hypothesis, deletion of ydgG increased cell motility by increasing transcription of flagellar genes (genes induced by AI-2). By expressing ydgG in trans, the wild-type phenotypes for extracellular AI-2 activity, motility, and biofilm formation were restored. YdgG is also predicted to be a membrane-spanning protein that is conserved in many bacteria, and it influences resistance to several antimicrobials, including crystal violet and streptomycin (this phenotype could also be complemented). Deletion of ydgG also caused 31% of the bacterial chromosome to be differentially expressed in biofilms, as expected, since AI-2 controls hundreds of genes. YdgG was found to negatively modulate expression of flagellum- and motility-related genes, as well as other known products essential for biofilm formation, including operons for type 1 fimbriae, autotransporter protein Ag43, curli production, colanic acid production, and production of polysaccharide adhesin. Eighty genes not previously related to biofilm formation were also identified, including those that encode transport proteins (yihN and yihP), polysialic acid production (gutM and gutQ), CP4-57 prophage functions (yfjR and alpA), methionine biosynthesis (metR), biotin and thiamine biosynthesis (bioF and thiDFH), anaerobic metabolism (focB, hyfACDR, ttdA, and fumB), and proteins with unknown function (ybfG, yceO, yjhQ, and yjbE); 10 of these genes were verified through mutation to decrease biofilm formation by 40% or more (yfjR, bioF, yccW, yjbE, yceO, ttdA, fumB, yjiP, gutQ, and yihR). Hence, it appears YdgG controls the transport of the quorum-sensing signal AI-2, and so we suggest the gene name tqsA.

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Investigating the Transcriptome of Candida albicans in a Dual-Species Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm Model

Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology ◽

10.3389/fcimb.2021.791523 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

Author(s):

Bryn Short ◽

Christopher Delaney ◽

Emily McKloud ◽

Jason L. Brown ◽

Ryan Kean ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Candida Albicans ◽

Biofilm Formation ◽

Driving Forces ◽

Transcriptional Profiling ◽

Specific Interaction ◽

Opportunistic Pathogen ◽

Virulence Proteins ◽

Biofilm Model ◽

Upregulated Genes

Candida albicans is an opportunistic pathogen found throughout multiple body sites and is frequently co-isolated from infections of the respiratory tract and oral cavity with Staphylococcus aureus. Herein we present the first report of the effects that S. aureus elicits on the C. albicans transcriptome. Dual-species biofilms containing S. aureus and C. albicans mutants defective in ALS3 or ECE1 were optimised and characterised, followed by transcriptional profiling of C. albicans by RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq). Altered phenotypes in C. albicans mutants revealed specific interaction profiles between fungus and bacteria. The major adhesion and virulence proteins Als3 and Ece1, respectively, were found to have substantial effects on the Candida transcriptome in early and mature biofilms. Despite this, deletion of ECE1 did not adversely affect biofilm formation or the ability of S. aureus to interact with C. albicans hyphae. Upregulated genes in dual-species biofilms corresponded to multiple gene ontology terms, including those attributed to virulence, biofilm formation and protein binding such as ACE2 and multiple heat-shock protein genes. This shows that S. aureus pushes C. albicans towards a more virulent genotype, helping us to understand the driving forces behind the increased severity of C. albicans-S. aureus infections.

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